The leaders of a bipartisan panel that unsuccessfully pushed forward a deficit reduction plan last year are quietly meeting behind the scenes to lay the ground work for another push after the November elections, according to an August 17 report in the National Journal.

The outlines of a broad set of possible cuts in federal domestic and defense-related programs in early 2013 should become more clear within the next month.  Under new legislation signed into law on Aug. 7, called the Sequestration Transparency Act, the Obama administration must lay out how an expected $109 billion in cuts will be implemented in 2013 unless Congress takes action to delay or stop them.